Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 184 Country A is a Heartbreaking Place

Reinforcements arrived with ships and helicopters.

Search and rescue operations were immediately launched.

Wu Zhiyuan boarded a search and rescue boat.

He opened his eyes wide, not missing a single unusual thing on the sea surface.

Search and rescue teams searched outwards from the point of impact at the bottom of the cliff for several hours.

James' body has been found.

He was floating on the sea, shot in the head, a fatal shot fired by Li Ruoxue.

Search and rescue personnel retrieved the body and found that his weapons and communication equipment were still on his person, but a small waterproof bag was empty and its contents were missing.

Clearly, Li Ruoxue not only silenced him but also took away the important intelligence he was carrying.

But Lin Keke wasn't there.

There was no trace of her, no fragments of her clothing, nothing at all.

Wu Zhiyuan cannot give up.

We need to keep searching and expand the search area, because Lin Keke may have been carried away by the water.

……

The attack on the port was eventually quelled.

Smith was shot and killed on the spot by Quiet, who was leading the encirclement, when he tried to escape by speedboat.

In the chaos, Suha was surrounded by the Prime Minister's guards in a warehouse and was shot dead while resisting arrest.

After the port incident, Song Yaozu attempted to flee abroad but was arrested by the police of Country A.

The Song family villa was seized, and a large amount of evidence was found regarding their financial dealings with Suha and the CIA, as well as their interference in politics.

With the deaths or arrests of key figures and the dismantling of major networks, Project Tide and Operation Tsunami were declared complete failures.

The secret operation of the Goose Intelligence Agency in Nancheng suffered a major blow due to Li Ruoxue's exposure and James's death, but Li Ruoxue herself escaped with important intelligence and her whereabouts are unknown.

The port crisis has been resolved, and Prime Minister Long Yun is safe and sound.

A few days later, Sihai Trading Company.

Liu Mingxuan's office.

After several days of search and rescue efforts, the search and rescue team conducted a comprehensive search of the nearby waters and adjacent islands and mudflats, but to no avail.

Lin Keke has vanished without a trace, neither alive nor dead.

Wu Zhiyuan was in a state of mental depression.

"The search at sea and along the coast will continue, but the longer it goes on, the less hope there is..." Liu Mingxuan didn't finish his sentence, handing Wu Zhiyuan a cup of hot water. "Zhiyuan, we are all very sad. Comrade Lin Keke was an outstanding and brave soldier."

Wu Zhiyuan took the water glass but didn't drink it: "Where's Li Ruoxue?"

"She vanished as if she had evaporated into thin air. The missing intelligence on James may involve America's infiltration network in Southeast Asia and even wider areas. Li Ruoxue has this information and may go back to claim credit."

The judicial authorities of Country A will handle Song Yaozu's case seriously.

There is no evidence to suggest that Song Ya-wen was involved, but Song Yao-zu's affair was a huge blow to her.

Wu Zhiyuan remained silent.

"Your mission is complete. Headquarters has instructed you to return home and rest for a while."

You've endured so much during this operation. Go back and take care of yourself, spend time with your family.

Of course, new mission orders may be issued at any time. We are always soldiers ready to be deployed.

Wu Zhiyuan nodded.

Before leaving, he took the initiative to meet with Song Ya-wen.

The location is a quiet teahouse in Chinatown.

Song Ya-wen arrived, wearing a plain-colored dress, her expression somewhat mournful.

She sat down opposite Wu Zhiyuan.

"Are you leaving?" Song Ya-wen asked in a low voice.

"Yes, my flight is tonight." Wu Zhiyuan looked at her. "Sister Yawen, take care."

Song Ya-wen looked bitter: "Take care? My father has been arrested, the company is in chaos, and everyone in the family is in a state of panic."

My dad wants to kill Long Yun, and my stepmother is a spy. The family I thought I had turned out to be a joke.

She looked up at Wu Zhiyuan with a complicated expression: "And you, Wu Qianjin, or should I call you by your real name, Wu Zhiyuan?"

You approached me from the very beginning because of the mission, didn't you?

Those coincidences, those protections, those conversations…

Wu Zhiyuan neither denied it nor could he deny it.

"I'm sorry, Sister Ya-wen. My identity and mission require me to do this."

But my desire to protect you is genuine. My wish to prevent you from getting hurt is also genuine.

"Really?" Song Ya-wen's tears suddenly fell. "I can't tell anymore!"

I am grateful to you for saving me, admire your ability and sense of responsibility, and may even have developed feelings for you that go beyond an employer-employee relationship.

But now I realize that it was all built on lies and scheming.

"Sister Ya-wen, you are kind and have a strong sense of justice. At the last moment, you chose to stand on the side of your conscience. This is truly remarkable."

Your father's choice is his, and you are you. The road ahead is long; Ya Yun Trading needs you, and Zi Jie and Yating need you too.

When her younger siblings were mentioned, Song Ya-wen's expression softened, but it was quickly replaced by a deeper sadness.

"Zhiyuan, that girl who fell off the cliff, was she your girlfriend?"

Wu Zhiyuan hummed in agreement.

"Did you find it?"

Wu Zhiyuan shook his head, paused, and asked softly, "Do you hate me?"

"I don't know. Maybe I feel a little resentful, but I can't bring myself to hate them."

Without you, I might have been drawn into my father's conspiracy much earlier, and my fate would have been uncertain.

You saved me indirectly, and you also took advantage of me. We're even now.

As Wu Zhiyuan was about to leave, Song Yawen suddenly called out to him as he reached the door.

"Wu Zhiyuan!"

Wu Zhiyuan turned around.

"If one day you find Lin Keke, please tell her for me that I envy her." Song Yawen's eyes glistened with tears. "At least, she found true love."

Wu Zhiyuan had a thousand words in his heart, but they all boiled down to one word: "Okay."

……

Evening, Nancheng International Airport.

After completing the formalities, Wu Zhiyuan passed through security and arrived at the waiting hall.

With some time before boarding, he found a window seat and sat down, watching the planes take off and land on the runway outside. Looking back on his trip to Country A, he was filled with mixed emotions.

"Mr. Wu! Mr. Wu!" came the girl's melodious voice from behind.

Wu Zhiyuan turned around and saw Song Yating running over breathlessly, clutching a boarding pass in her hand.

She was wearing a short-sleeved T-shirt and jeans, with her hair tied in a ponytail.

"Ya-Ting? What brings you here?" Wu Zhiyuan asked, somewhat surprised.

"I bought a plane ticket!" Song Yating waved her boarding pass and smiled sheepishly. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get into the departure lounge. Luckily, I made it in time!"

My sister told me you're going back to China. I wonder when you'll be coming back to Country A? Is that right?

"Yes." A warm feeling welled up in Wu Zhiyuan's heart, but it was also somewhat bitter.

"Mr. Wu, are you really not coming back?"

Wu Zhiyuan shook his head: "It probably won't happen in the short term. Country A is a place of heartbreak for me."

Song Yating's eyes welled up with tears, but she tried her best to hold them back: "Can I come to China to see you in the future? I really like China!"

I want to visit the Great Wall, the Forbidden City, and eat authentic local snacks!

I'd like to learn more self-defense techniques from you!

"Of course. If you come to China, contact me, and I'll show you around and treat you to a meal."

"That's great!" Song Yating smiled happily. "Mr. Wu, I don't blame you at all for what happened to my father. On the contrary, I want to thank you. You indirectly saved him and prevented him from making another mistake."

My sister understands, but she just can't quite grasp it right away. Don't blame her.

"I don't blame her. Ya-ting, you should listen to your sister more often and help her in the future."

The law will deliver a fair judgment on your father's matter. You two need to walk your own paths carefully.

The announcement began urging passengers on Wu Zhiyuan's flight to board.

"I'm leaving." Wu Zhiyuan stood up.

Song Yating also stood up, then suddenly stepped forward and gently hugged him before quickly letting go, her face flushed: "Mr. Wu, have a safe journey! See you in China again!"

"Goodbye, Ya-ting! Take care!" Wu Zhiyuan smiled slightly, turned around and walked towards the boarding gate.

Before boarding, he glanced at Song Yating again; the beautiful girl was waving.

After crossing the jet bridge and entering the cabin, Wu Zhiyuan found a window seat and sat down.

The plane taxied slowly, accelerated, and soared into the sky.

The lights of the southern city receded further and further below, eventually disappearing into the clouds...